Back To Basics
by IcedOverFire
Summary: Whoever said helping someone was easy obviously never tried running after a certain redhead during rush hour.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello again! Back To Basics' first two chapters--Dark and Riku's introductions--have been edited and another chapter has already been added to the story. That's three new chapters for you guys to read, enjoy and hopefully review. _

_So without further ado, I present to you my newest creation. _

**Chapter One: Dark**

Have you ever found yourself so immensely attracted to someone that your basic motor and speech skills fail you at the worst, most embarrassing moments? Are there ever times you wish you could screw decorum and just be with that person you're extremely interested in? Do you have somebody in your life that makes everything you thought important insignificant and worthless?

I haven't.

Not even close.

But most of my friends have tried 'love', or so they claim it to be, at least once. In fact, my closest one is probably one of the luckiest guys in the world—he just doesn't know it yet. I'll almost certainly have to hit his head a few times to get the idea through his thick, supposedly _ingenious_ head but he will, someway, somehow.

Anyway, my point is, I have girls drooling over me, bending backwards to get me to notice them and throwing themselves at my feet for a date _but_ no one's gotten my full, unobstructed attention. _No one_. There are about a thousand girls in school and I haven't given one of them a second glance. Well, most of them.

You can't expect a normal seventeen year-old guy with normally functioning hormones to ignore _all_ the girls who are allegedly 'in love with me', can you? Just two-thirds of them. Some, only one actually, call me a playboy for going from one hormone-driven girl to the next but I'm just trying to find that girl who can finally make me feel that elusive emotion people enjoy so much, more commonly known as 'love'.

If you haven't noticed 'love' isn't exactly in my vocabulary, I keep it at the back of my head. I focus on the more demanding things going on in my life. Sports, school and other extracurricular activities take up most of my time so it's only now, with our tests done, that I get time to think about 'love'.

My parents are all for it. They say that I need a sensible, lively girl to keep me on my toes and don't care that I'm still a minor for the next eight months. They're not into traditional parenting styles obviously.

My friends agree with them too. I'm tempted every time they bring up the subject—never mind that we're guys, they enjoy teasing me—that they might have experienced 'love' but they lost the girl, didn't they? But, of course, if I did that, I would be subjected to numerous references to previous girlfriends and I'd get another headache. I need to lay off any type of medication.

"_It's better to have loved and lost rather than to not have loved at all."_ That's what everyone says, isn't it? I won't take that crap. When I find her, I'll make sure she's the right one and never let her go. Isn't _that_ better than the idiotic saying?

Oh god, I am such a sap.


	2. Chapter 2

_Even if this is an edited version of my previous Chapter Two, I'd still like to dedicate it to: **CrYsTaLxAnGeL**, **Siy Rowling**, **Eternal Crystal Rose**, **Domini-chan**, **everyday-snowangel** and **cagalliyulathha**. Thank you again for the support!_

**Chapter Two: Riku**

_Soul mates_ are purely fiction-based beings created for those helplessly desperate in their search for someone to show off.

But it seems as if overnight my sister has become the Queen of the Free World and gotten everyone we know to believe in the existence of _soul mates_. I honestly cannot understand why anyone would actually listen to her nonsense.

The chances of someone, out of the seven billion people in the world, living for the sole purpose of 'completing' me is ridiculous—_that_ doesn't even begin to describe it.

Why should I waste my time looking for someone who doesn't even exist when every time I would be going out with a different guy to see if we're remotely compatible with each other, a child's dying somewhere in the world from the ignorance of politicians and the women who walk past them on their way to dates with useless, hormone-driven slobs?

_Soul mates_ are just obstacles to a better life for those suffering in, let's say, South Africa—avoidable hindrances, mind you. I'd rather work with natives in Third World countries than go out on another blind date arranged by my ever-hopeful twin sister. Not that that's ever gone my way before.

No one takes me seriously because of my age—not even my own sister it seems. It's infuriating to endure her endless sighs and daydreams of her future with her real-life _soul mate_. She gets even worse when she smilingly drags me into her room to have me emerging out with a skirt on and my hair pulled up with barrettes.

I may be a pushover but I draw the line with the _soul mates_ thing. I will never lower myself to the likes of the smirking, perverted playboy everyone falls over themselves to be seen by.

All of my friends are convinced that I 'shall never be perfectly happy until I have someone to call my own' and do everything they can imagine to push me into dates with random guys. I am quite proud to say that only some of them succeeded in manhandling my will this way. Though I've, quite impossibly, had the same number of dates with my sister in the past four years…

…I still haven't found _him_.

Holy shit, I'm worse than that playboy.


	3. Chapter 3

_So this is the chapter where the plot really starts. Here we see how Dark deals with Riku and their constant bickering--and what he has to deal with from Risa as well. The _next_ chapter is where we learn something that Riku's been hiding from everyone for years--and before any of you get any ideas, it's not a crush on her number one 'enemy'._

_Anyway, I hope that you continue on supporting Back To Basics even if I stop updating for months at a time. At least when I come back, I post more than one chapter, right? _

_And if it weren't for_ _**Eternal Crystal Rose**, **Domini-chan**, **Sakura is number 1**, **Siy Rowling** and **forever silverwing angel** this wouldn't have been possible so Chapter Three's for you five._

**Chapter Three: Arguments**

I've never had to deal with brothers or sisters. When there was anything to be received, I got it. Chocolate, ice cream, money; you name it, my parents gave it. I admit that I do live a very privileged life.

But in return, my parents never had to voice their expectations. I knew what they wanted—A's, gold medals, honors, the works. And I gave it to them. With great ease, if I may say so myself. It's a very easy arrangement without a lot of consequences. Give and take, that sort of thing.

But at times like this, with this specifically unpredictable girl in front of me, I honestly wish that my parents weren't so lax. Or stop with me.

Then maybe I'd actually have a chance at understanding how very practical, logical, unemotional minds work.

I swear, the next time I feel chivalrous, I'm giving blood to Red Cross or my entire savings account to some children's orphanage in Africa. Helping other people I'm in direct contact with is not worth the trouble afterwards.

Then again, that might apply only with Riku Harada and her inane hatred towards me. But, still, lesson learnt on my part. The next time she trips and could possibly have her head bashed on the school's tiled floor, I'll let her be and keep on walking since she obviously would rather go into a coma than be touched by a guy like _me_.

Seriously? I was just passing by. I didn't run around school like a maniac stalking her then stack books by the hallway on the off-chance she, of all the students in Azumano High, would trip on them so I could act like her hero and tarnish her name like she believes. Even if I hated her, which I don't, I wouldn't go to all _that_ trouble.

Explaining will get me nowhere but what the hell? I'm not going to go down in front of all these people without a fight.

"Listen, will you? What have I ever done that would make you think that I'd make up of some elaborate plan that could have you in a hospital bed somewhere?" She looks at me as if she was surprised that I was even capable of speech after her own undeniably impressive tirade only a few moments earlier.

I'm not telling a lie when I say that I have never actually been _mean_ to the elder Harada. We have some classes together and her sister's a close friend of mine, that's it. Even when we were younger, I guess she just felt that she didn't want to befriend me. Fine, who am I to force my friendship? But I can sincerely say that I have no idea where she's getting all this anger towards me. As far as I'm concerned, all of this is uncalled for.

"Well?" I ask again. If she's going to rattle off insults at me with witnesses everywhere, I might as well make a point while she's at it.

"You're…" She pauses, what a surprise.

"I'm what? And don't start with all that pervert nonsense, it's getting old." If she wants to think I'm a jerk then I may as well act like it.

"You're you!" Hm, isn't _that_ original?

"Yes, I am, and I'm sure quite a few other people realize that now, too."

Her cheeks take on a deep shade of red that does _not_ make me want to back off. "Is that all you have in your defense? I'm me and I happened to walk by, so _of course_ I'd have to be behind your fall? What kind of reasoning is that?"

She meets my glare head-on and props to her for not looking away. "Fine, you've made your point. I'm sorry, alright? I should have thought the situation out before I started screaming at you, happy?" She turns away and I'm forced to sigh at her apology.

Our audience seemed happy enough.

--

"Dark, do you know why my sister locked herself in her room last night?" Risa, Riku's twin sister, sat herself resolutely beside me and crossed her arms across her chest as if I was going to hurt her. That she was in the library without Satoshi might also be a reason for her uneasiness.

"You probably already know the answer so why ask me?" If I have to go through another Harada speech, I'm moving out of the country.

"I'm just worried about her, is all. I mean, you didn't really plan everything yesterday, right?" I am _not_ going to make myself look any guiltier by even thinking of an answer.

"Thought so." She smiles at me. You'd think she found the cure to cancer the way she seemed to be eternally happy.

I'm _this_ close to standing up and walking away when she stops me with two questions not even her own sister could have expected from her. "Do you know why she never goes out on dates anymore? Or why she's never had a boyfriend?"

I do not like where this is going. But what else is there to do but humor her like the sap that I am? "They're not her type and they know it?" I venture half-heartedly.

She laughs a little at my joke. "No." She shakes her head wearily. "All of them are too busy trying to be my boyfriend."

Yes, I never thought of that. "You're kidding me." I smirk at her when she hits my arm. With her I know it's playful, with her sister I know she's imagining a painful death for me. It's weird that I can be friends with one but not be able to get along with the other. But I guess that's just how life works.

"You know, me and my friends used to set her up on blind dates. It was just harmless fun. She went on a few, ten maybe, before refusing to talk to me or anyone else until we stopped trying to 'manhandle' her as she put it. Doesn't that make you want to be a little bit more patient with her?" She has this sparkle in her eye that Satoshi—it's no secret she's liked him for the past year or so, except maybe to the blue-haired genius himself—won't be able to stand against when the time comes.

But since I'm thankfully Dark Mousy, not Satoshi Hiwatari, I can raise my eyebrow at this brunette and roll my eyes. "Next, you're going to ask me if her story makes me feel warm and Christmas-y inside."

"Dark, come on. Can't you be nicer to Riku? She thinks the world's out to get her or something."

"Maybe it is. Maybe she was some hateful government official in another life and the universe is just trying to balance everything out again."

"It would have a hard time with you still alive and breathing, I presume." Before—years ago, really—I thought Satoshi was the being created by God himself to contradict me at every turn and prove me wrong on every point. Then I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of one Riku Harada. Now, I wish it was just plain old Satoshi again.

"It's nice to know you have so much faith in me, Sat."

"Hiwatari-kun, why don't you try convincing Dark that teasing Riku isn't a good pastime?" They may not be dating yet, but they're getting closer to being on first name-basis. Took them long enough, surely.

He looks at me amusedly. Clearly, this whole thing's scripted. Right down to my groveling with a wounded ego at Riku's feet come nighttime. Yeah, not in this lifetime, my friends. "I thought you didn't have anything against her?"

"I don't."

"So why terrorize her?"

"Haven't I already made my point clear with her sister yesterday? All I did was stop her from falling on her face. Next thing I knew, she's screaming and insulting me. Though, I've got to say she has a pretty colorful vocabulary. I always thought the Harada twins were always so prim and proper."

Risa makes a face at me. When Satoshi can't knock me down, a very few others can. "She's a very wide reader."

"Obviously. So can I leave now? Is the Spanish Inquisition done, or do you want me to confess to other accidents I also wasn't a part of?" I'm standing up even if they want me to look like an idiot, of course.

"Come on, Dark. Can't you at least try to be polite to her the next time you see each other?"

"I'm always nice to her." God, how many times do I have to prove this until they actually believe me? "I haven't done anything wrong. I honestly don't know why she has such a big problem with me when I never make a burden out of myself."

"I guess you're right," Risa finally accedes. "Maybe she's just…you know, going through a phase or something."

"Probably." Finally, something all three of us agree on.

But wait, that was too easy.

--

_Any idea what Riku's been hiding? If you do, write it in your review...any new ideas might end up in future chapters so it'd be a great help._


	4. Chapter 4

_This is for **CrYsTaLxAnGeL** and **Domini-chan**! I don't know why but your reviews made me laugh so thanks for that too. And I know that I didn't give anyone a chance to guess what would happen next but...oh well, I'll give you guys some more time another day. _

_Anyway, I had a great time writing this chapter. Especially since I _love_ Riku's mentality. I truly hope you enjoy this one as much I did. _

**Chapter Four: The Outburst**

If it wasn't hard enough already being Risa Harada's sister, I have to face _this_. I know I shouldn't have done the things that I did a few days ago and insult a perfectly innocent person because I was having a bad day but this is just too much.

At this rate, I'm sure to get expelled before I can say 'leave me alone'.

"How dare you humiliate Dark-kun like that? Do you think that just because your sister is his friend that you can call him names and not even thank him for helping you?" This girl's voice, no joke, is louder and higher than a howling monkey's and is absolutely _not_ helping with my migraine.

Oh, and thank you, it's only been three minutes since I've been reminded I'm blood-related to Risa.

"I was on my way to thank him when you three came up." Uh, no, I wasn't. "And I already apologized. What more do you want from me?" Mousy—their _Dark-kun_—is lucky to have such devoted fan girls. Though why they'd willingly give him their arms and legs is beyond me.

"We want you to promise that you'll never insult him again!" One of them cries out, waving her arms like an octopus out of water.

"You don't actually expect me to keep to that promise even if I made it, do you?" They've been living under a rock for the past four years if _that's_ what they believe. The simple fact that I hate Dark Mousy has become some sort of legend in Azumano High.

The three of them step towards me in what I think _they_ think is menacing. In truth, they look limp and awkward. "We do and you will, Harada. We could make your last year very difficult if you keep on harassing Dark-kun." The one with the blonde hair, the leader most probably, smiled at me as if I was the canary and she was the cat.

"You're threatening me." I don't believe that's ever happened to me. It's the predictable next move and I know they're not geniuses but I'm surprised they pushed through.

They roll their eyes at me in unison as if saying, _"Well, at least we have the clueless Harada."_

Now, I know I may have an almost non-existent social life and my sister may be the most wanted girl on campus but one thing's for sure, _I_ have the shortest temper in school. Didn't they learn that while watching my encounter with their Dark-kun the other day?

"So you mean, you want me to be _forever_ _nice_ to your Dark-kun or you're going to make sure I won't finish the year." I act as if I'm contemplating the odds when I'm just trying to repress my anger.

In all honesty, it wouldn't be too hard for me to be civil towards Dark Mousy; he hasn't done a single hurtful thing to me since he befriended my sister. If I were to drink some sort of truth serum at any given moment, everyone would find out that I only treat that playboy like I do because who else wouldn't fight back? He may be a womanizing ass but he's a perfect gentleman when he wants to be.

I actually _do_ have a lot to thank him for. But I'm not going to tell him how much help he's been to me whenever I needed a punching bag while people can still come up to my house and taunt me until dawn. Of course, I could trust him with what I'm going through and I'd be able to have a kind of confidante but why bother when he probably already hates me anyway?

The way life's been for me—busy parents, perfect sibling, no social life, always being ignored—I've had to work hard to have a good day. So I'm not going to make some stupid promise to three of his most desperate fan girls about giving up the one person who's kept me sane since me and my sister reached puberty.

"When pigs fly." With that, I leave the three gaping fish in the classroom. Or I try to, at least.

The one with the blonde hair pulls me back by my arm, her long fingernails drawing droplets of blood. "We tried being nice, Harada. We don't want you messing with Dark-kun so you better shove off before we really get serious." They don't scare me at all—when you've got parents like mine, absent and always disappointing, fear isn't in your vocabulary anymore. Too bad I can't hit her since we aren't on the field with a ball being passed around.

"If he does something to irk me again, then I'll give him what he deserves. If he doesn't, there's no reason for me to even be within his range of sight." Not necessarily true. For one, he'll never actually annoy me for anything so I shouldn't even be present in his life. But that's impossible since today's already starting out to be very tiresome and I'll need to lash out at _someone_. 'Someone' translating to Mousy.

The girl lets go of me. Who would've thought a junior could be so strong? She looks at her friends then smiles. "Well, if that's the case, then we don't have anything to talk about then. Sorry for taking up so much of your time, Harada-san."

"Hey, 'Ku, what're you doing here?" I don't know if Risa showing up in the middle of all of this is a good thing. I may be a little bitter with her being so popular but she's still my little sister.

She comes to my side and hugs me before directing her radiance to the younger girls who turned into puddles of awe. You'd think they'd have more self-control than that, wouldn't you? My sister has that effect with people, trust me, I know. It gets tedious over the years.

"Oh, Harada-san, it's so nice to meet you!" When we're in the same room, more often than not Risa and I are always mixed up by our teachers. It's annoying, really.

After polite greetings, the three juniors leave the room, giggling and whispering to each other excitedly. One day, they're going to look back and be ashamed of themselves.

"So, what's the real story? Why were you cornered by three juniors in the chemistry laboratory during _our_ seniors lunch period?" Though she might not show it, my sister's pretty perceptive when it comes to stuff like this.

"It's nothing. They were just trying to scare me into never insulting Mousy again."

"Ouch. I'm dragged back into the conversation _again_?" If I were a singer, I would have seriously sung some church hymn right then and there. I don't know exactly why he's here but why dwell on technicalities when there are more important things like sanity at hand?

"Don't flatter yourself, Mousy. They were your fan girls."

"God, Riku, what the hell is wrong with you?" In exchange for being so kind to me, I don't correct him when he calls me by my first name. I know Risa's behind it so I don't feel anything about it.

"_Me_? Nothing's wrong with me. _I'm_ the one who's being threatened by _your_ fan girls. If anyone has a problem right now that would be _them_." As I was saying this, I poke him in the chest with my finger. I can sense that his patience was thin already so I had to vent out my frustration as quickly as I could on him.

I can see his jaw tightening and his eyes darkening and suddenly I just have to get out. There are things better left alone and _this_…whatever this is, is one of them.

"Dark, hey, Dark, calm down, come on—deep breaths." My sister then glances to me with surprise and a bit of anger.

Risa's never been angry with me before.

That's _it_.

"You know what?" I raise my arms up a bit then wearily let gravity pull them back down to my sides. Both my sister and Mousy, standing side by side, look at me in surprise. I guess they thought I'd already gone out of the room.

"I probably _do_ have a problem. There must _doubtlessly_ be something _wrong_ with _me_. But _don't_ ask _me_ about it because I've _no_ _clue_ about _anything_! I'm just an _insignificant_ _nobody_ that'll _always_ be under her _little sister's shadow_! Maybe _that's_ what's wrong with me…maybe not. What do _I_ know? Oh, and when I pick fights with _your_ _dear _Mousy here, it makes you _sad_, doesn't it, Risa? You know how _mom _and_ dad_ _hate_ it when _you're_ _sad_! It's _always_ _big_ _sister's_ _job_ to make _you_ _happy_ again. But even on _that_ _simple_ note, I _still_ can't do _anything_ correctly, right, Ris? Isn't that _depressing_?"

I hear my voice echoing in the empty classroom but I just keep on screaming. I don't notice anything—their faces, the room, nothing. This is only a shred of what I've been going through for the past four years and I'm going to continue yelling until I feel the tears. I don't care if I'm acting out because I'll only have this one chance and I've got to make the most of it.

I'm not worried if Mousy thinks I'm deranged or that my sister would call my parents later on about my tantrum. They can get married for all I care and I'll still want to do is shriek until my throat's raw and find someone who I can share all my confusing thoughts with so that I can finally start understanding what's going on with me.

But I'm not going to get the last one, am I?

"So, do _you two_ know what might be wrong with me, huh, _Ris_, _Mousy_? You guys probably _do_ since you're _so_ _perfect_ and _angelic_. Oh wait, I could always ask your dear friend _Hiwatari-san_. Yes, I'm sure with _all three_ of you, you can decipher what's not right with my genetic make-up and what-not. So call me when you've figured out why I'm such a freak and can't be like my own fucking sister!" I finally feel the stinging in my eyes and the pain in my throat through the numb haze.

And so I run away.

--

_Thank you again for the continued support!_


	5. Chapter 5

_This one's for **Sakura is number 1** and **EclipseIllusion**. Hope you guys enjoy the next few chapters I'm posting. XD_

**Chapter Five: The Deal**

_Good_ _God_, how fast can this girl run? She had, what, a fifteen second head start?

I should invite her to join the track and field team when this whole thing's done with—we've been slacking in a little too many sprints this year.

"Riku! Riku, damn it, _stop_!" If only I can come close enough to get a hold of her arm. "Stop running! I'm not going to do anything to you!" I try again hopelessly.

What'll get through this girl?

"Riku!" I yell so loudly that the guy in the newsstand starts laughing wildly. Sure, if someone _he_ knew blindly ran straight into a busy street with trucks and drunks, _he_ wouldn't have a worry in the world.

But what other choice do I have than to follow her? I can already name five people right off the top of my head that would personally have me murdered if anything happened to this Harada with the unreasonable inferiority complex.

I swear, if I die following Riku, I'm haunting her for the rest of eternity.

"Riku, will you _please_ stop? Won't you talk to me for even a _few_ minutes?" I don't actually expect her to stop but since I survived her suicidal street-crossing I feel much more diplomatic towards her.

Just as suddenly as she started, she abruptly stopped a couple of feet in front of me and it took a lot more than I could exert without any warning to halt inertia.

"Whoa." Trying to gain your balance while a crying girl's looking at you like soap scum is harder than it sounds. "Sorry, Riku, you should have given me some sort of signal that you were going to really stop."

She made a sound between a growl and a bark then wiped away her tears. Until I'm old and dying, I don't believe I'll ever understand how Riku Harada could look as vulnerable and emotionless as she does right now. "Well? I stopped. What do you want?" _Ouch_.

"Do you think we can walk to a quieter place? Subways aren't renowned for peacefulness, are they?" I allow her to lead wordlessly. At least she listened to me is all I can say.

Isn't it convenient to have small playgrounds everywhere?

She turns to me again. I can honestly say that her eyes were flashing murderously when I met her gaze. "So? What could be so important that you had to chase after me?"

Huh. Would it be too much to ask for a little bit of time to gather my thoughts? It's not like it was a conscious effort on my part to ditch school and get her to calm down. Even Risa must be surprised that I went halfway across town to pound some sense into her sister.

"What was that nonsense you were talking about back in school?" I sit her down on one of the swings and crouch to be eyelevel with her. If _this_ isn't clichéd, I don't know what is.

"That wasn't nonsense," she replies hotly.

And I know better than to play with the Harada temper. "So, what was it?"

A few strands of her hair hit my face as she turns away from me. "It was the truth and you can't just laugh and tell me that I'm crazy for thinking so. Even you…" She faces me again, still glaring. "No, _you_, of all people, should realize I just described myself perfectly earlier."

I'm surprisingly having a hard time swallowing. "Um…"

She sneers at me. "See? Now let me leave. You can go back and tell Risa that she can call our parents all she wants but I'm not going back home."

"_Wait_." I push her back down on the seat. Lord, can't she be _patient_ for once in her life? "Could you sit down for a while and let me think for a moment?" It's not really a question and I know she knows it.

"Why should I?" How does Risa survive at home?

I sigh and just drop on the sand tiredly. "Okay, listen."

"No."

"What?" God Almighty, _please_ have mercy.

"I said that I don't want to listen to you and whatever condition it is you have for me. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind and you know it." When the rare times like this arise where she reads my mind, I'm amazed that she still hates me so much.

"I'm not one for conditions, too restricting. I was thinking, since you don't want to go home, why don't you to stay at my house for the time being…" I let the question hang in the air.

"_What_?"

I don't answer. It's better to let the offer sink in properly. She may not be a friend _exactly_ but my conscience wouldn't let me sleep at night—and neither would Risa—if I allowed her to go off to unknown places without trying to stop her.

"I'm sorry but I thought I just heard you say that you wanted me to stay at your house." If we were in some play right now, this would be hilarious.

"Yes." I hope to God that she accepts or else I'll have to follow her until she goes back to the Harada Mansion.

"Why?" Ah, yes, the one million question.

"I don't know. It just seems like the right thing to do." The look on her face as I finished the sentence became darker than I thought was humanly possible. Even for her.

"Thank you but I decline. Now let me go or I'll be forced to hit you." Like I haven't heard _that_ line before.

"Do I _really_ look afraid to you, Riku?"

"No, but I bet if I hit you right now you would be." I was wondering where her twisted sense of humor went.

"Come on, I won't tell your sister that you'd be in my house. I'll make sure that no one will know. How about that?" Why am I so desperate to keep her in my sight again?

"Why would you do that? And I don't want that 'right thing to do' crap." Why is it so hard to be nice? Jeez.

Okay, what could _possibly_ get her to stay in Azumano until I get her to see how jaded she's been?

"I don't know." Oh yeah, I can _definitely_ see _this_ working in…let's say, a millennium, maybe?

"You don't know why you want to help me." Yes, princess, I don't know why I want to help you when all _you_ would like to do is run away and give your sister an early heart attack.

"Yes. All I know is that I _should_ help you. Not because you're one of my friends—since you hate me—or because I feel sorry for you…"

"Really, so why don't you tell me what you think is the reason for your sudden goodwill," she hisses at me. Insulting her was _not_ part of the plan. You know, if I _had_ a plan thought-out while I was trying to get myself killed earlier.

I take a deep breath to steel myself to the inevitable onslaught of words.

It was nice knowing you, world of the living.

"Because you're Riku and it doesn't feel right to let you be alone like this." I pause because I know I may not have another moment alone with my thoughts after this.

"And I know that you'd rather do a lot of other suicidal acts instead of accepting help from someone you hate as much as me but can't you delay whatever it is you're planning a few days so we can talk this out a bit?"

I already know that heartfelt act won't get to her. "And just what makes you think that I even _want_ to talk about this? With _you_?"

Rejection is not an option for me. "So you won't lay your heart out for anybody?" I ask instead of answering her question. Like that would get me anywhere.

"This is getting tiresome. Let me leave." She tries to stand up and run away from me again but this time I'm ready for her.

"Riku." I force her to look up at me. "Just say yes. Please?" Desperation isn't my thing but if it gets her to not kill herself then let it be.

Something flickers in her eyes. "You feel sorry for me. You're going to call my sister the minute I'm asleep. You're parents are going to throw me out when they see me. You don't really want to help me. You don't care about me at all, this is just for Risa. Now, which of those statements are _not_ true?"

"None of them," I reply carefully. "Why in the world should I feel sorry for a girl who insults me without even blinking? All I'll be telling your sister is that I made sure you arrived safely at some province outside of Tokyo." I look at her as I try to find the right words for what I was about to say next. She looks stunned for some reason.

"My parents are in Russia right now and even if they _were_ at home they would enjoy having a girl to fawn over. And you have a point when you say that Risa is part of the reason why I'm helping you. But I'm in this more so that I'll finally find out what goes on in your head and what I did that made you so mad at me."

I try to smile at her but I can sense that she couldn't care less if I tried to make the situation lighter.

"So will you come with me?" I ask hopefully. If not, _that's_ an hour wasted out of my life.

"I'll come with you."


	6. Chapter 6

_I dedicate this to **CrYsTaLxAnGeL** especially. Thanks a million for the continued support--and replying to my PMs even though I know I'm quite a handful. I hope you won't mind if I dedicate chapter six to you as well? _

**Chapter Six: Consequences**

"She is going to _kill_ me when she wakes up. Come visit my grave from time to time, alright?" I move away from the Harada's living room floor-to-ceiling windows and plop myself down on one of their couches.

Risa sighs then nods at me. "You should be ready for her. You know she's the archery team captain, no?"

"Yes, thank you for that. Jesus, I wonder what she'll do to me in school tomorrow." If it's _any_ of the hundred twenty-two scenarios flashing in my head right now, I'm _screwed_.

"You mean if she doesn't get you tonight?"

I glare at the brunette. "Could you at least _try_ to act as if you cared?"

"Well, you _could_ have hid her in your house for a few days like you promised her, couldn't you? You didn't _have_ to bring her back here after what happened today. So…if you ask me, whatever she's going to do when she wakes up is kind of _your_ fault, right?"

"Which side are you on, Harada? Are you telling me that you wouldn't have gone banging on my front door until dawn if I didn't tell you where your sister was?"

She sticks her tongue out at me. "Of course I'm on no one's side, Dark. Anyway, you could have secretly called me. I don't see what the problem would have been."

Am I going to be explaining myself to the Harada twins until I end up in a coffin? Oh wait, that could be only a few minutes away. Damn.

"If I didn't bring her back here, I would have had to keep all the promises I made her and that included keeping our arrangement a secret. Plus, you would have called your parents and the police would have barged in my house anyway…" I feel disgusted with myself. I didn't think making this decision for Riku would make me feel as if I'd betrayed her in some unforgivable way.

Probably because I did, huh?

"Why are you still here again? Shouldn't you be running for the hills or something?" She has an excellent point. Why _haven't_ I upped and left and saved my ass for the night?

"She's going to get her revenge sooner or later. Might as well be in private than in front of everyone we grew up with." And I don't want the day to end without apologizing to her.

"I guess you're right. Still, I feel sorry for you. I know how Riku gets mad and she'll be beyond deadly when she sees you down here."

"What are you trying to do? Soften me up for the kill?"

She laughs then starts pacing around the room. "Dark, thank you again for getting Riku back. My parents would have been beside themselves if they found out something had happened to her."

I shake my head at her. "It was nothing. I'm partly guilty for why she ran away in the first place anyway."

"'Ku!" Risa cries out a few seconds later. From the look on her face, her sister is not happy.

I straighten in my seat, my neck refusing to turn towards the entrance of the room.

"_Liar_," Riku whispers from where she was standing.

I force my legs to stand up and move behind the sofa. I meet her gaze then I had to look away from the emotions swirling dangerously in her eyes.

"_Traitor_," she adds, staying in her place. I don't know whether I'm more afraid of her acting out or ignoring me altogether.

"'Ku, listen, Dark just brought you back here because I called him and…" I look at Risa and I see her shaking. I guess Riku's never been this angry before.

"I don't want to listen to your insipid explanations." Risa's eyes widen before she closes her mouth, still in shock. She glances at me and I realize that I'm alone in this battle for now.

"Riku…" I bring her attention back to me. This isn't Risa's fault. If she should be mad at anyone, it should be me.

Her face is completely devoid of any expression. This is more serious than I thought. "I'm sorry, Riku." There, I've said it. Now the hard part. "I know I should have kept my promises but it was better for everyone if—"

"_Bastard_," she cuts me off emotionlessly.

"I know you're angry but you've got to try to see this from my—"

"Leave."

"What?" Her mask doesn't crack one bit.

"I don't want to see your face again. Tell your excuses to someone stupid enough to fall for them."

"Riku, give him a few minutes to explain. He just did what he thought was best for you!" Risa exclaims when she saw Riku about to turn away.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" She stops walking but doesn't look back at us.

"Can't you be reasonable, Riku?" Risa challenges. I never knew she had it in her to shout at her elder sister.

"I've been reasonable all my life. Who are you to talk to me like that?" And she just continues to leave.

Risa turns to me after looking about to faint with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Dark. Maybe she'll, you know…" There are tears in her eyes. But she doesn't look as forlorn as Riku did in the playground this afternoon. Riku's eyes held no hope—she had practically given up on life completely.

Then I came along. I knew that my words hit home. I knew I was one of the few people she would listen to, if only half-heartedly—though admittedly, I'm not sure how I got to that conclusion looking at my 'relationship' with Riku. In a distant part of my mind, her rejection wasn't possible when I took everything she said and turned it to something she yearned for. Closure, a confidante, someone she could trust and accepted her. Even though I figured out I couldn't be that person, I knew how to play my cards.

At least I thought I did. I didn't anticipate to be so affected—I've always prided myself on being so detached from my emotions. And everyone knows that when those nasty things come into play, everything gets even more complicated. God, this is just what I need.

But I couldn't have left Riku alone earlier, now could I? It would have hurt a lot more people and I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself. I didn't have any other choice—Riku's safety was priority number one. So now I'll have to handle all of this while evading Riku's wrath everyday until graduation.

It could be worse.


	7. Chapter 7

_I believe that every story needs a little emotional turmoil in them. For this one, I chose the fate to befall Riku because...well, she seems the best candidate at this point. Tell me though if you think Dark should be on the hot seat and I'll find a place for that somewhere along the story. I hope I did Riku justice in this chapter..._

**Chapter Seven: Doubt**

I'm not sure I'm still Riku Harada anymore.

I could have cursed him to hell, hit him with a lamp downstairs, cried until my tear ducts ran dry, screamed my throat sore or a number of other painful acts that would have landed me in a mental institute sooner than later.

But for some reason, I kept my composure. I called him a few hurtful—albeit accurate—names then told him to leave. I'm sure I insulted my sister somewhere in there but she should learn to mind her own business.

I don't know what to do, what to think, what to feel. I'm even more confused than before. _Before_ I knew that Dark Mousy _cannot_ be trusted, that only a miracle would have him running after me, screaming my name and telling me to stop so that we could talk. But now…_now_, what do I know?

That the first person outside my family I've given my trust to betrayed me in the most hurtful way imaginable. But then again he didn't really ask for it, did he? He just made some empty promises and I was foolish and bereft enough to believe them. To believe that he could care for anyone other than himself.

He played me and I let him. I should be disgusted, furious, murderous—any of the rainbow of emotions that used to make me feel safe.

But what am I doing? Sitting down in the middle of my bed, staring at the door. And what am I thinking? That I shouldn't have been so harsh at Mousy. Why? I've lost my mind, apparently.

I groan and lay my head on my pillow. God, where's the anger? The hatred? The repulsion? What's wrong with me? Why is some unknown part of my mind so hell-bent to give Mousy a chance? Why can't I muster the rage to imagine a painful death for him, like I've always done during my bad days?

Sure, there's resentment and frustration but why isn't there anything else? I'm usually ready to shoot arrows at Mousy so why is the only thing repeating in my head is the lies he said at the playground and the way he looked so conflicted? It was all an act! Why am I still dwelling on it?

What if…?

I sit back up in my bed. Almost too afraid to say what just entered my head to myself.

I—I honestly thought that Mousy wanted to talk…didn't I? That he didn't mind spending more than a few minutes with me? So is _that_…no! I'm going insane. The chances of _that_ being true are slimmer than…than scientists saying that the moon being made out of cheese!

So _why_ I'm feeling like this then when there's no way in this lifetime I gave that playboy a piece of my idiotic heart along with the trust he pried from my weak, trembling hands?

Insanity, most probably. Or some sort of mental disease I inherited from a distant great-uncle. It _has_ to be one or the other. I won't even consider accepting the possibility that Dark Mousy has something I didn't even believe I could give anymore.

Doesn't matter—it's simply _impossible_.

He may be a charmer but he's not _that_ good.


	8. Chapter 8

_Okay, so this is going to be pretty short--I'll be editing this some time soon so that you'll find out what his 'plan' is but no promises, alright? I just really wanted to update _something _before school starts in a few weeks so here you go! Tell me what you think about it. Personally, Dark in a panic is enough to get a good laugh from me. :D_

**Chapter Eight: Plans**

"I'm going crazy," I exclaim to Satoshi and Risa, pacing the length of the library's carpeted floor. "I'm _this_ close to losing my fucking mind, you hear me? Jesus Christ, half the time I'm awake, I'm looking over my shoulder because, I swear, I just _know_ Riku's going to do _something_ and I've got to be ready for whatever it is her twisted mind comes up with."

I ran an impatient hand through my hair again. "Godammit, why doesn't she just try to kill me with one of her damned arrows already? It sure as hell can't be worse than all this damned anxiety and paranoia I've got to handle," I continued ranting without pausing to breath. Who would have thought that that skill was learned rather than born with?

Look at me, I'm actually _babbling_. Lord help us all.

As I've already yelled out for the world to hear, I'm going crazy, plain and simple. You know, if there's anything _un_complicated about the diminution of my mental well-being. It's been a month, for crying out loud, and I _still_ haven't seen Riku except for the two times I passed her by in the halls (and yes, I counted, call it OCD or whatever you want to). She didn't even look at me. And that's been driving me so up the wall lately, I'm ready to pull my hair out…and then some.

I _knew_ her refusing to acknowledge me at all would be worse than an all-out retaliation. Why, you ask? Because now I feel like I have to be on constant alert in case ninjas start falling from the roof and mercilessly kicking my ass.

God, why can't she just do something already? I _know_ I deserve it and _she_ knows it so why hasn't she done anything?! If she stays as gracious (for the lack of a better word) as she has been for another week, I'm going to _crack_.

See what I mean by 'losing my mind'?

Risa and Satoshi share a look. _Aw_, they're finally starting to realize that they're perfect for each other. Why don't I care again?

"You should just count your blessings and leave it at that," the blue-haired (supposed) genius suggests with an infuriating calmness. Why the hell does he get to be all look-my-best-friend's-going-insane-but-I-still-have-all-my-brain-cells while I feel so restless I could probably join a decathlon and actually win the damned thing?

I knew all that luck I've been having would turn sour soon. But, honestly, this is _beyond_ the 'sour' karma dishes out.

"Why don't you go talk to her? She greeted me the past few mornings so that must mean her anger's subsiding," Risa adds a few thoughtful moments later.

"That's because you're innocent," I snap at her naiveté. I don't mean to really, but the stress does get to you. "In her books, I'm as despicable as a child rapist, maybe even worse. And I did try talking to her the first week," I continue, pacing all over the place and running my hand through my hair a few more times.

"She turned around and flat-out refused to listen to me before I even got through with her name." I pinch the bridge of my nose tiredly. Insomnia does not sit well with me, I've found out. I can only thank whichever deity doesn't have it in for me yet that I was still able to help my teams win a few meets and soccer games the past harrowing month.

Risa winces. "Well, if you really want her to listen to you, why don't you try to make it up to her somehow?"

"How?" I ask immediately. Yes, my friends, I'm _that_ desperate. It's not that I haven't thought of this yet—but maybe Risa and Satoshi could give me a good idea.

"Kidnap her and take her to the rest house you have out of town," she replies with no trace of hesitation whatsoever in her face.

Satoshi looks as surprised as I do. We both couldn't help asking her, "_What_?"

Risa rolls her eyes at us exasperatedly. "Hello? It was only a _suggestion_. Gosh, what happened to joking around?"

Her soon-to-be boyfriend turns to me with a slight shake of his head. "Harada-san, you have access to your sister's schedule, don't you? We could make use of it so that Dark can corner her somehow and we can finally get a few days of peace without him raising hell everywhere."

The sarcasm wasn't lost on me (far from it, really) but I couldn't help the smile that makes its way to my face. The plan's flawed and I've absolutely no plan to make use of it, but the mere fact that Satoshi was discussing how to get Riku to stop ignoring me's enough for my bad mood to lift a little.

But Satoshi's little scheme _did_ let me see something (thanks to hours of doing nothing at night, unable to sleep, my mind's gotten a hell of a lot faster nowadays). Maybe I _have_ been looking at this whole thing wrong. Maybe instead going straight for the bigger picture, I'm personally inclined to huge and extravagant displays after all, I should downsize my plans just a little.

And, for once (thank God) I know exactly where to start.

--

_As usual, reviews are appreciated. :)_


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